


No OSHA Compliance

by Anoke



Category: The Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley
Genre: Gen, Morganus the Borg Queen, No OSHA compliance, Spitefic, a character actually doing something, no one remembers Morgaine is the size of an eight-year-old including me at first, no really pure spite here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-13
Updated: 2019-06-13
Packaged: 2020-05-07 05:24:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19202779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anoke/pseuds/Anoke
Summary: When Morgaine arrives to take Elaine's firstborn daughter from her, she gets a surprise instead.





	No OSHA Compliance

**Author's Note:**

> This particular spitefic is a spin-off from Book 3 Chapter 12, where I just could not stand to see Elaine letting Morgaine steal Nimue away from her because What Bradley's Self-Insert Says Is The Law.
> 
> I tried to keep the writing relatively similar to Bradley's style.

Elaine was quiet as she began to lead Morgaine to Nimue's room.

 _All for the better, if she has accepted it so quickly,_ thought Morgaine with satisfaction. _She will focus all her attentions on the newest babe and forget Nimue soon enough._

"She's such a lively girl, Nimue," Elaine murmured. "Always running off and climbing trees or walls, speaking her mind, getting into mischief of all sorts..."

"All things that a lady of Pelinore's court would be expected not to be," Morgaine said in response. _I am certain Elaine's babe will be much more to her liking,_ she thought but left unsaid.

"Yes," Elaine agreed, and then lapsed into silence again.

They arrived at Nimue's room and, before Elaine could announce her presence, Morgaine swept past her and opened the door.

"Nimue? Nimue, child, your punishment is done. Come here that I may have a look at you."

There was only silence. Morgaine looked around. The room was large, and contained an equally large bed, hearth, and chairs. There was a low, big window set into the wall, offering a view of the lake beyond. There was no girl-child on the bed, nor sitting in any of the chairs. The room appeared, in fact, to be completely empty.

"What is the meaning of this?" Morgaine said, turning on Elaine. _If she thinks to hide her daughter from me—_

Elaine was trembling.

"What ails you, kinswoman?" Morgaine snapped angrily. "Where is Nimue?"

"The window," Elaine stammered, looking close to a faint. "Oh no, no she would not dare—"

Morgaine turned white as she realized what Elaine was implying.

"How could you have left her in a room with such a low window!" Morgaine cried out as she rushed to the sill, peering desperately downward to see if there was a glimpse of Nimue. 

There was nothing, only the undisturbed brown waters of the moat.

Morgaine started to turn, to lambaste Elaine for having ruined everything, but something slammed into her and she was suddenly overbalanced. Her thighs struck the sill and she tumbled out of the window, falling into the murky brown waters of the moat with a large splash.

Elaine stood, panting, at the window in the guest room. Slowly she lowered her arms. After a moment, Morgaine's head broke the surface of the moat and she gave a hellish shriek. Elaine recovered herself somewhat and quickly headed out to give the order that Morgaine not be allowed back into the castle. And that she could get her own damn self out of the moat.


End file.
